Hermione Interupted
by bishop2420
Summary: Hermione Weasley is trying to enjoy her day when she is confronted with the question everyone wants answered.


Hermione looked at the woman sitting across from her. She supposed she should be angry but the irony was just so amazing that all she could do was laugh. As she got her laughter under control she looked up at the scowling face of Auror Brown. It amazed Hermione that Lavender Brown of all people had grown up to be the serious woman that sat across from her. At the same time she thanked whatever gods might exist that they brought Ron and Harry into her life to prevent her from turning into the obviously unhappy woman that she was looking at.

As she thought about her own happiness the anger that had been buried by the irony of the situation started to bubble back up. She was sitting at Fortesque's with her favorite drink and a new book she had been eager to read, minding her own business, when Lavender Brown had sat down at her table without invitation and decked in Auror robes and started to babble at her. She had at first reluctantly joined the conversation until it became clear the Lavender was insulting her. According to the woman bothering her, many of her female classmates could not understand why she had married Ron, when Harry was the "true" hero, with all the galleons. The woman then went on to accuse Ron of hindering her ambitions and suggested that if it wasn't for Ron, she would be well on her way to being minister of magic. That was when the laughter had started.

Lavender Brown did not appreciate being laughed at. "Hermione, I know that it is better for women in the wizarding world than in the muggle but sexism is still a very real obstacle and it is just disappointing to see so much wasted potential because you have a husband who would be jealous of your achievements." Hermione bubbling anger turned to rage and faster than Lavender could blink she found a glowing wand pressed into her neck. Lavender was not proud of the type of school girl she had been and had successfully grown up by most people's estimation but she cursed herself for still having the habit of rambling on without fully paying attention to her surroundings. Under normal circumstances pulling a wand on an Auror would be a big problem for the perpetrator but everyone knew that the "golden trio" was exempted from certain repersussions.

Susan Bones had been listening to Lavender Brown talk down to Hermione Weasley and while she agreed with many of Lavenders points it was clear that Hermione was not pleased. Even prepared for the inevitable loss of temper, Susan missed Hermione's movement. In the darkness of one eye blink a glowing wand had appeared at her Auror partner's neck. Realizing that Auror Cpt Harry Potter would not be pleased that they had driven his sister in all but blood to drawing a wand and feeling her career starting to die she tried to defuse the situation.

"Hermione, please put away the wand. Lavender was being rude and she's sorry (here Lavender nodded) but we don't have to resort to violence. You are the best and brightest of our generation and we are just surprised that you became a housewife. In another blink the wand was gone. Hermione eyes were still ablaze but her voice was calm. "Is it so hard to believe that I actually just enjoyed learning? That my happiness came from being in school without having any ambition past that. I graduated Hogwarts top of my class and have earned masteries in Transfiguration, Charms and Potions. All I might add with the full support of Ron." She looked hard at both women who shivered in fear. "Ron has never been a perfect human being but he has never been jealous of my intelligence."

"My mother was like you." The sentence was accompanied by a sigh and with it all the anger left Hermione. The two Aurors hadn't realized how much power Hermione was putting out in her anger until it vanished. They were confused by the disappearance of the pressure and the nonsequitor. "I grew up with a mother and father who both worked. My mother was a doctor, muggle healer, just like my dad. She was exactly the type of woman you too seem to expect me to be. She was driven to be the best in her career and carried with her a desire to be an inspiration to other women. She thought she was being an inspiration to me as well, but I didn't need an inspiration, I needed a mother." The two women at the table looked on as Hermione continued. "My father on the other hand was the best. He had earned all the same letters and certifications as my mother but his number one priority was always me. He wasn't always good at it and he probably stunted my development as much as he helped it, but he always made sure I understood that I was important to him and that he was trying. Ron is very much like my father in that way. He has many limitations but what he has in abundance is a love for me and a dedication to my happiness." She pinned the two women with another look before she said. "The two of you have never tried to make me feel wanted or appreciated. My entire time at Hogwarts you both made it clear that I was a waste of girlhood and now you sit in front of me insulting my husband and insulting my choice about the woman I want to be."

Into a now empty Fortesques came Ron Weasley. The two Aurors looked into his eyes and felt their careers take another shuddering breath. Ron walked to a positon behind and to the right of his seated wife. "Harry is on his way, what do you need me to do?" The fact that Ron had not tried to step in and take control of the situation from his wife did not escape the notice of the two battle trained women and they both looked at the couple in a new light. This woman who they had felt pity for had a large interconnected family that was the envy of the wizarding world, magical and political power in spades and a husband who obviously supported her without question and who didn't try to overstep her. Neither women had been able to find that and had decided that the price of being strong and independent was that men would not want to marry them. They had thought that they were lucky to not be strapped down by those men and it was why they had pitied Hermione thinking she had fallen into the trap they had avoided.

"Go tell Harry to not bother, I just lost my temper but everything is fine. I just need to find another place to read my book because I doubt anyone will come back here while I am still sitting here." Hermione said as she stood and faced her husband. He replied with smirk and said "I am supposed to be the one with the temper problem in this relationship, but I'll go head off Harry. Come read in the shop, I promise to hide you from Angelina and her baby books." Hermione kissed her husband, nodded to the two still dazed women and walked out the store. Ron watched her leave and then turned to the two women. "The whole alley is talking about your determination that I am not worthy of her and if it helps any, I agree with you. She could do much better than me but if you continue to anger her, I will make you regret every minute you have been alive. Are we clear" They both nodded and Ron walked out of the store before dissapperating to the Ministry to stop Harry.


End file.
